| Author | Message | ||
     Hooaah |
Modular helmets - are they as safe as a one-piece full face brain bucket? I did a search but didn't find what I was looking for. I'm looking for a new helmet and I'm considering one of the modular "flip-up" style - but - I can't help thinking that with the right kind of impact my full face helmet would instantly become a 3/4 style. Then, on the other hand, I'm wondering if I incurred forces hard enough to do that I might pretty much have bought the farm anyway. Is anyone aware of any scientific or semi-scientific studies on this? I guess the overall question is will a modular helmet stay together if (?when) that awful day comes. I hate to call it a crash, so lets refer to it as a short-notice high-speed dismount. Thanks gang Don | ||
| Firemanjim |
Can't speak for all of em,but I have been to a couple of accidents that the rider had that type of helmet and the helmets failed at the locking area with banged up face and chins resulting.Cured me of any interest.YMMV. | ||
| Buelltroll |
Read this months motorcyclist article on helmets. Crazy stuff about how the snell rating is crap. | ||
| Mikexlr650 |
check out the kbc ffr modular, it has all metal joints and locks. | ||
| Rubberdown |
The new Nolan N-102 seems pretty nice. | ||
| Nutsosane |
I had one of the first generation Nolan's ... until I met a co-worker who survived a motorcycle accident. He impacted the horizontal roof reinforcement of the volvo with the chinbar of his Arai. The Paramedics said that was the only reason he was alive. Typical car turning left into motorcyclists path scenario. That week I bought myself a solid chinbar helmet and haven't looked back. NUTS | ||
| Oldog |
FMJ: were they fatalities? or just injuries? thats scary, You would have thought that dot would not pass them.  | ||
| Henrik |
Fireman; how long ago, and what brands of flip front helmets? Henrik | ||
| Firemanjim |
Broken jaw,busted teeth, cut up chin/face.Been about 2 years ago for last one--thankfully don't go to that many motorcycle accidents.Can't honestly say what brands,was paying more attention to patients.Anyone ever seen crash data on the flip-ups? I am too chicken to try em,so will stick with the old full face. | ||
| Aeholton |
I have an AGV Longway. Absolutely love it. It has metal locking hardware. I don't think it is any noisier than my HJC CL14 w/ solid chin bar is. | ||
| Henrik |
Thanks Jim. I guess until someone goes ahead and does the full DOT/SNELL testing on the flip front helmets, including chin bar strength and locking mechanism reliability, I'll stick with regular full face. Henrik | ||
| Hooaah |
Thanks for the input; I'll stick with the one-piece models Don | ||
| M2me |
I don't know if they are any less safe or not but I've stuck with full face, solid helmets and I wear glasses and smoke. I can park the bike and then take off my glasses, undo the chin strap and have the helmet off in what, 3 or 4 seconds? I guess I'd rather be safe than sorry and it's not that big of a deal to take my helmet off. | ||
| M2me |
Here is an article I found about helmets. Not sure if it's the same one that Buelltroll posted about. All helmets must pass the DOT test, so the flip up style ones do pass DOT. http://motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/hatz/ | ||
| Firemanjim |
Bot does DOT address hits taken to chin bar in crash? | ||
| M2me |
No, the DOT and other tests do not address hits taken to the chin bar. Even open face helmets can pass DOT and even Snell standards. They are mostly testing for damage to your brain, not your face. You might not be killed in an accident while wearing an open face helmet but you could lose your nose or suffer a crushed jaw. I don't think I'd like that! According to the article that I linked to, no rider who was wearing a DOT helmet has ever died from a head injury alone. I found that pretty interesting. | ||
| Johnb |
'Why I wear a full face..' thread Gomo started a month ago. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/4062/146957.html At the moment, I don't believe you give up too much protection going with a well engineered flip-up with a decent hing mechanism/strap - but probably not the best racetrack choice. Most vulnerability warnings seem to be directed at open-face, 3/4, 1/2, shorty, or no helmet types. Main compromising issue is - chances are the impact deflection will be in the chin area and if the hinge fails, well..  The diagrams above show the impact areas on crash-involved motorcycle helmets. (Source: Dietmar Otte, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Abteilung Verkehrsunfallforschung, Germany.) http://jeff.dean.home.att.net/swisher.htm In the meantime, still on the fence evaluating the Schuberth C2, Shoei Syncrotec, & new Nolan's. (Message edited by johnb on October 23, 2005) |
